3. Collaborate in Chat

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With Chat, you can share useful ideas and brainstorm with co-workers in team and project rooms, or start a Google Meet video meeting right in your chat conversation.

3.1 Start a video meeting

Start a video meeting with your team members in the Chat app or Gmail app.

1. Open the Chat app  or Gmail app .
2. Tap Chat  or Rooms .
3. Open a chat message and in the reply area, tap Add video meeting  Send .
4. To join a meeting, tap Join video meeting  Join now.

3.2 Schedule and share a Calendar meeting in Chat

You can schedule and share a Google Calendar meeting from:

• One-on-one chats 
• Group chats
• Rooms

When you schedule a meeting, an event card appears in the chat with the meeting title, date, and time.

Tip: If you remove someone from an event invitation, but they’re still in the chat, they can view the event card.

Important: If you’re using your mobile device, you must have the Google Calendar app to schedule and share a Calendar meeting in Chat. If you don’t have the Google Calendar app installed, Google Play will open so you can download it.

1. Open the Chat app  or Gmail app .
2. Tap Chat  or Rooms .
3. Open a chat message and in the reply area, tap Google Calendar .
4. A scheduled meeting in the nearest time slot will appear. You can change event details to a different date or time, or add a room  Tap Save & share.

3.3 Send and share files in conversations

You can add files from your computer, mobile device, or Google Drive directly to Chat messages. In a room, you can see files shared with the room, open files, and add files to Drive.

Send files in a chat message

1. Open the Chat app  or Gmail app .
2. Enter your message and choose an option:
   • To attach an image, tap Insert image .
   • To attach a Drive file, tap Google Drive .
     When you send the file, you'll be warned if the room or someone in a direct message doesn't have access. If you have Edit access to the file, you'll see an option to grant access. If you grant access to a room, it also applies to people who join the room later.

   • To take a photo and send it, tap Take photo take a photo.

3. Select the file that you want to send.
4. Tap Send .

See and manage files in a room

1. Open the Chat app  or Gmail app .
2. At the bottom, tap Rooms select the room.
3. At the top, tap the Files tab.
4. Tap the name of the file to open it.
   Drive files open in the Drive app , if installed.
5. (Optional) To view or save a file, next to the file, tap More and then:
   • View in chat—Opens the chat message where the file was shared.
   • Add to Drive—Saves the file to Drive.

3.4 Create and assign tasks in a room

As a member of a room in Chat, you can create and manage group tasks and assign tasks to other room members. Tasks display in the room where they're created and in the assignee’s personal tasks in Google Tasks. When someone creates or updates a task, such as assigning or completing the task, a notification appears in the room.

Create and assign a task in a room

1. Open the Chat app  or Gmail app .
2. At the bottom, tap Rooms select the room.
3. At the top, tap the Tasks tab.
4. At the bottom right, tap New task .
5. Enter a title for the task.
6. (Optional) To add a description or more details, tap Details and enter the information.
7. (Optional) To add a date and time, tap Google Calendar , select a date and timetap Done.
   If you add a date and time to your task, you'll get mobile notifications at the scheduled dates and times.
8. (Optional) To assign the task to a member of the room, tap Person the name of the person. To assign the task to someone who isn't a member of the room, you need to invite them first.
   If the assignee leaves the room, the task remains in the room and in their personal task list in Google Tasks.
9. Tap Save.

After you create a task, a notification appears in the room to let everyone know.

Edit a task

1. Open the Chat app  or Gmail app .
2. At the bottom, tap Rooms select the room.
3. At the top, tap the Tasks tabselect the task.
4. Tap the title, details, date and time, or assignee and make the changes.
5. Tap Back .

If you have a task in your personal task list, you can edit the task title, details, and date or time from your personal task list. Any changes update the task for everyone in the room and a notification appears.

Mark a task complete

1. Open the Chat app  or Gmail app .
2. At the bottom, tap Rooms select the room.
3. At the top, tap the Tasks tab.
4. Choose an option:
   • Next to the task, tap Complete .
   • Tap the taskComplete .

After a room task appears on your personal task list, you can mark the task complete from your personal task list instead of from the room. Changes update the task for everyone in the room and a notification appears.

Mark a task incomplete

1. Open the Chat app  or Gmail app .
2. At the bottom, tap Rooms select the room.
3. At the top, tap the Tasks tab.
4. Next to Completed, tap Expand to view the tasks.
5. Next to the task, tap Complete to change the status to Incomplete .

Delete a task

Deleting a task deletes it for all members of the room and from the assignee’s personal task list.

1. Open the Chat app  or Gmail app .
2. At the bottom, tap Rooms select the room.
3. At the top, tap the Tasks tabselect the task.
4. At the top right, tap Delete .

3.5 Search in Chat

Need to search for a specific word or project? With Chat, you can search in direct messages or rooms for @mentions and look for content, such as videos, documents, presentations, and more.

Search messages in Chat

1. Open Chat .
2. Tap a message or room.
3. At the top right, tap Search  and enter your search term.
4. Tap All or a person or room name.
5. (Optional) To narrow your search, tap people and content types (such as photos or videos). 
6. Tap the result to open the thread.

Search chat messages in Gmail

1. Open Gmail .
2. Tap Chat .
3. At the top right, tap Search  and enter your search term.
4. (Optional) To refine your search, tap the search filters below the search box. You can use as many filters and operators as you want. 
5. Tap the result to open the chat in Gmail.

Note: If you have older messages in classic Hangouts that match the search, at the bottom, tap View in the notification message.

 

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